Indexable inserts having plate-like bodies with planar support surface as a base surface, as well as major cutting areas and minor cutting areas on its side opposite to the support surface, whereby further the flanks of the minor cutting areas receding therefrom are inclined with respect to the support surface, are known from EP 0 502 541 A1. Basically they serve their purpose in a satisfactory manner and as a rule have a sufficient machining efficiency. However it is desirable to further improve the life of the cutting insert, the quality of the machined surfaces produced by the insert as well as the machining efficiency.
Furthermore from EP 0 548 752 A1 an indexable insert is known having a plate body in the shape of a truncated pyramid, which has four major cutting areas distributed over its periphery and in the corner areas four minor cutting areas. The major cutting areas are inclined with respect to the support surface and the minor cutting areas are located in a plane which is parallel to the support surface. Given its cutting geometry, the production of this indexable insert is complicated and extremely expensive in view of the necessary flanks and the plate body shaped like a truncated pyramid.